“Yes.” Obviously proud of the havoc it was wreaking in her mind, the dragon grinned at her.
“No.” Her head was spinning out of control. “It’s not possible.” Making a small, whimper-like sound, she bit back a scream. “You’re not a dragon.” Swaying from side to side, she took a clumsy step back. “How?”
Before she could blink, Haden returned to human form. “It’s a secret,” he teased, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to hold her steady.
“That’s it? I can’t take it anymore! Get away from me, Haden!” Hoping to do some real damage, she jabbed her elbow against his ribs as hard as she could.
“Ouch.” Hunching over, he grabbed his side, laughing aloud. “You have such nasty temper.”
“You’re making me crazy.” Closing her eyes tightly, she shook her head. “This isn’t real. None of this is real. You’re not real.”
He reached out to her. “Come here.”
“No!” Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at him. “Don’t you dare ever touch me again!”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “There’s no reason for all the hostility.”
“No reason? Are you serious? You should’ve warned me before you turned into a dragon.” She jabbed him again, harder than before. “And for your information, I hate secrets.”
“I considered warning you, but then I thought it was one those things you wouldn’t believe without seeing.” Nuzzling her ear, he whispered, “And I never said I wouldn’t share the secret with you.” He scooped her up in his arms and started walking. “In fact, there are many things I plan to share with you in the near future.”
“I don’t want to hear about any of them right now. Go ahead, do what you’re most talented at doing. Muck around in my head, and you’ll discover why I don’t want to hear about them.”
“I would never want to trespass,” he teased.
Her eyes narrowed on him. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter anyways. I hate you, Haden.” Tilting her head back, she looked up at him. “I don’t really hate you. I don’t like you very much right now, but I don’t hate you. It’s been a long day.”
“I wasn’t worried about it.” Looking way too pleased, he smiled down at her. “As long as you think I’m sexy, I’m happy. Sexy is good. It’s wonderful. As far as I’m concerned it’s a fabulous foundation for you to build your love for me on.”
Groaning, she rolled her eyes. “Thank you for booting the stupid out of my head.” Closing her eyes, she rested her face on his chest, soothed by the steady, strong rhythm of his heart. “I’m now one hundred percent positive I hate you.” She yawned. “I’m tired. I want to go home.”
* * *
Haden took Caylee to her uncle’s home. He wasn’t sure why Emmett bothered him, but he didn’t like the man. He figured his bad feelings toward Emmett were related to not liking Caylee’s living arrangement. Naturally, Haden wanted her under his roof, in his bed every night, but she wasn’t even ready to admit they belonged together. Before leaving her to go hunt for Paul, Haden gave Caylee strict orders to stay out of the forest. Then, doing what any all-powerful demon would do in the same situation, he begged her to obey. Thankfully, with all that had happened, she agreed. And this time, he knew she meant it.
Within an hour, Haden had returned to the crime scene and was following Paul’s scent. The vampire was making many mistakes. Haden discovered his trail too quickly, too easily. He was obviously being led into a trap, but it didn’t bother him. It certainly didn’t intimidate him. A trap was a good thing. It meant he wouldn’t be forced to waste any time or energy chasing after the creature to destroy it.
~ Four ~
CAYLEE WOKE UP suddenly, struggling to catch her breath as blasts of intense pain beat at her temples. A foul, misty fog hovered over her bed and filled her lungs. Violent, overwhelming fear slammed into her heart, and it raced frantically, pounding in her ears. It was too dark to see anything, but she sensed the presence of something wicked drawing closer, preparing to strike. Thunderous shrieking and howling erupted. She covered her ears to muffle it, but the volume increased. The air rushed in and out of her lungs in horrified gasps.
She gripped her head hard as a dark figure, cruel and wholly evil, moved in her mind. A bone-chilling breeze drifted into the room and swirled all around. For a moment everything was silent. Relief washed over her. It was a bad dream.
Rise and come to me. Paul’s voice, resembling a hiss, seemed to come from every direction, but she knew it was coming from inside her mind. Come to me.
Increasingly severe bursts of pain jabbed at her skull. The pain was so intense she feared her head was going to explode. She gripped it harder, tangling her fingers in her hair.
Several invisible arms, similar to tentacles, slowly but surely wrapped around and squeezed her body. She struggled to get free, but it was useless. Yanked out of her bed, she was forced out of her room and down the hall. The front door burst open, and she was shoved outside. She tried to stop moving, but her attempt only caused her to stumble. She rubbed her throbbing temples, struggling to rationalize the situation. The volume of the whispering increased, becoming a steady roar, repeating her name over and over again as she continued to walk.
Her heart beat wildly, painfully. She needed to calm down. She needed to focus. If she was going to survive, she needed to figure out what was happening. Taking a deep breath, she held it for a few seconds, focusing on her legs, trying to stop them, but it was no use; her legs continued to move.
The hot, humid air caused her T-shirt to cling to her body, but she shivered uncontrollably. She knew beyond any doubt she was going to die. Heat lightning silently crisscrossed the sky, casting eerie shadows all around. She was unhappy with her life, but she didn’t want to die. She feared the unknown waiting for her beyond the grave. Teeth chattering, she continued to walk, struggling to breathe as the stench of death filled her lungs.
Wait. Why hadn’t she thought of Haden? Closing her eyes, she reached for him. Merging her mind with his, she instantly, to her horror, saw Haden attacking, raping a woman. She was confused. Their mental link had never been visual. It had always been verbal. Caylee withdrew from him, grief and disgust welling up to the extent she couldn’t stop the cry that escaped her throat. She shook her head, attempting to erase the vile image, but it remained so very vivid in her mind.
* * *
While tracking Paul, Haden came across Caylee’s scent, immediately detecting the scent of her blood combined with it. A terrible explosion of rage ripped through his body, causing the ground to shift as the deepest, darkest portion of his essence emerged. Black flames swirled around him. From deep within his soul his other half, the dragon, roared.
Merging with her, Haden immediately discovered the images of him raping a woman. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the remnants of her lingering scent. For a moment, his dark, icy gaze melted away, replaced by strange, black, iridescent flames as he fully merged with her.
He tried to place a hedge of protection around her, but he failed. The vampire had full control over her. Her mind was severely fragmented, but he quickly, as a silent shadow in her mind, sorted through her thoughts and retrieved bits and pieces of information. She was barefoot. The scent of her blood was from scratches on the bottom of her feet. Paul was hiding her location in a maze of confusion in her mind. It would take time for Haden to work his way through it—time, he feared, he didn’t have.
* * *
An icy gust of wind blasted Caylee. Caylee, stop and turn around. Dark clouds, streaked with blinding flashes of lightning, billowed in the sky. The ground heaved and rumbled. Haden’s voice was a whisper, but it held enormous power. Haden? She stopped walking; images of him raping the woman replayed in her mind, causing her to go completely still. A wall of black flames formed directly in front of her, and then a thunderous boom echoed all around and the flames disappeared. She knew it was Haden, searching for her, reaching out to her. Part of her wanted to go
to him, but when she thought about him raping the woman, every muscle in her body cramped in protest.
You’re nothing to him. Come to me now!
A sharp pain pierced Caylee’s skull directly between her eyes. Defying Paul’s command was impossible. Once more, she continued to walk toward him. The reality she was facing death grew in her. There was no one to help her. The streets were abandoned. She was alone, completely and utterly alone. Haden, her only hope, was with another woman, doing terrible things, brutally raping her.
* * *
Haden’s heart was breaking. What was the point? Would she always believe the worst of him? If so, what future would she have if he continued to pursue a life with her?
Listen to me, Caylee—what you saw wasn’t real. He’s using a mental compulsion to confuse you and make it harder for you to reject the words and the images he has placed in your mind. You have to fight it. You have to fight him.
She should know the truth. There shouldn’t be any doubt in her mind. How deep was her fear? How far would she go to hide from him? Would she actually allow herself to be killed by a vampire because of her fear of the man who loved her more than anything?
Don’t allow him to deceive you, Caylee.
Haden wouldn’t allow her to die. He would save her. He would kill the vampire. But then, perhaps it was time to face the fact that letting her go was the most merciful thing he could do for her. He could secretly watch over her and protect her for the rest of her human life. She didn’t even need to know he was with her. At that moment reality struck him hard. Those weren’t his thoughts. He would never even consider giving up on her. How the hell was the vampire using a compulsion on him, a demon? It was unthinkable. He realized that if the vampire had the power to get into his mind that Caylee wouldn’t stand a chance of pushing him out of her mind.
Your mind is confused, but your heart knows the truth. Let you thoughts melt away. Let your heart lead you. You’re not alone. Merge with me. Help me find you. I won’t allow him to harm you.
* * *
Haden’s voice was so calm. It was a comforting embrace. She wanted to believe him, but doubt crept into her mind. She’d seen him attacking a woman, hadn’t she? She gripped her head hard, her knuckles turning white. Her temples ached so severely her vision was blurred, and her stomach was rolling. Waves of hopelessness washed over her. She was going to die. She entered a dark alley and stood completely still. She didn’t want to die. Not yet. Not like this. She needed to turn around and run away, but her legs wouldn’t move.
You don’t need to move. You don’t need to run. You simply need to trust me to protect you. I won’t allow you to die. The pain gets worse when you attempt to resist his compulsion. Stop pulling away from me. You’re not strong enough to fight him, but I am. Merge with me. Allow me to protect you.
Trust him? Paul’s mocking laughter filled her mind. He left you alone, knowing I would come for you, knowing you would be helpless, and knowing you would die. And why? He abandoned you so he could be with a more desirable woman.
Caylee tried but she couldn’t force the horrible images from her mind. . Lifting her face to the heavens, she took a deep breath. She was so very confused, so very afraid.
Since Paul had total control of Caylee’s mind, Haden had no other choice but to use an open mental path to communicate with her. It allowed the vampire to hear everything he said, but it also allowed Haden to hear every lie the vampire uttered.
Do not believe his lies, little love. You know me. You know I would never abandon you. I will always protect you. You are my life. There could never be another woman for me.
The ground split open, and a dark, shadowy image of a man burst out of it. The air rushed in and out of Caylee’s lungs in short, violent gasps. Dirt and stones rained down several feet in every direction. Every muscle in her body tensed. Hoping the man was a figment of her imagination, she blinked. In an instant, he was directly in front of her. His black hair fell over his shoulders. It was stringy, tangled, and matted with dirt and other debris. His flesh was a sickly, bluish gray. He was very thin, his eyes sunken deep into his skull, and he stank of decayed flesh. He appeared to be the corpse of an old, malnourished man.
Caylee tried to back away, but she couldn’t budge an inch. She knew he was the same man from earlier, but he looked different. More frightening. And so very repulsive. She opened her mouth to scream, but she didn’t have the ability to make a sound. Just the sight of him sickened her, causing her mouth to water and stomach to cramp and twist. Gagging, she tried to look away, but his gaze held hers captive.
Caylee, I need you to merge with me. Do it now. Please, if only this one last time, trust me to protect you. Haden fought to keep his voice calm. He couldn’t risk her misinterpreting his fear and frustration for anger. Tracking her as a man was taking far too much time. Reach for me so I can find you. Despite her attempts to hide, he continued to work through and unravel the maze of confusion in her mind.
“He is lying to you. He won’t leave his woman to protect you.” Paul thrust the image of Haden raping the woman into her mind. “You’re nothing to him. If you mattered to him at all, he wouldn’t have allowed you to remain a helpless mortal.”
He plunged deeper into her mind, savoring her fear, hammering her with his violent lust for her blood. “You’re nothing to him.”
He listened to the frantic, seductive rhythm of her pulse. He took a deep breath and released it slowly with a hiss. Fear made blood hotter. Sweeter. And so entirely satisfying. His mouth watered. His stomached clenched.
“No!” She shook her head. “You’re lying!” She knew Haden better. She might not be Haden’s lover, but she was his friend. He would never rape a woman, and he would never abandon her.
Finally, through the power of sheer desperation, she broke eye contact with Paul. She immediately wished she hadn’t. She stared at his mouth. He smiled wide, revealing his serrated teeth and razor-sharp fangs. She had to be trapped in a nightmare. None of it could be real. She wanted to wake up, she wanted to run, but she couldn’t do anything. She fought to regain control over her mind and body, but it was useless. Paul was too powerful to fight.
I need your help, Caylee. I’ve tried to find you through your thoughts, but he has distorted your memory. You need to trust me. You need to stop trying to fight him and reach for me. Look around and show me everything you see.
Paul reached out and lifted a section of her hair to his face. He breathed deeply, inhaling her sweet scent. “Go ahead. Lead him to us. I will enjoy killing him right along with you.”
She was so afraid, but she couldn’t allow Haden to die for her. If you find me, he will kill you too. I know it wasn’t real, Haden. I know you would never hurt a woman. I know you would never abandon me. Please forgive me—I’m so very sorry. I never should’ve believed any of it.
Paul rubbed her silky hair against his face, twirling and tangling it around his fingers. Very slowly, he leaned toward her to nuzzle her neck. Groaning aloud, he inhaled deeply, savoring her scent.
Damn it, Caylee, he can’t fucking kill me! He’s lying to you! Open your eyes! Haden was so beyond furious. Do it now, Caylee! He didn’t care that he was causing her pain.
His booming voice hurt her ears. Echoing in her mind, his voice sounded like the rushing water of a mighty river. Like an avalanche racing down the side of a mountain. Her head hurt so badly she knew it was going explode.
Open your eyes! It was a powerful command, utterly impossible for any being mortal or immortal to defy.
She opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings. The fear of being cornered was terrible, but the icy chill of Paul’s rancid breath on her flesh caused her stomach to twist. She felt weak, lightheaded, and nauseous. A split-second before she collapsed, she felt an unmistakable shift in her body and mind. Haden was closer to her than ever before. He was part of her. Their souls were united as one. She felt his enormous, dark power gathering in her, strengthening her.
; Squaring her shoulders, she glared up at Paul. He planned to kill her, but she planned to make it as difficult as possible. She wasn’t a child this time. She wasn’t weak anymore. She would fight this time. She wouldn’t allow herself to be victimized. Vampire or not, he was going to be sorry, extremely sorry.
No! Do not provoke him, Caylee! Through her eyes Haden studied her surroundings. Wait for me! In a matter of seconds, he recognized the alley. In an instant, he launched himself into the stormy sky, black wings erupting from his back. He moved incredibly fast, forcing the wind to shift direction so it added to his speed.
Combined with the sweet taste of her fear, the spiciness of her courage promised to make her blood more delectable. Her defiance stirred to life the most primal, deadly urges of Paul’s predator nature. He craved but seldom enjoyed foreplay with a strong woman. Most of his victims quickly wilted and died. He wished he could play with her for a while longer. He would enjoy using her to satisfy his other physical needs. But he wasn’t stupid. He couldn’t afford to be caught with his pants down. He needed to feed. Paul knew Haden was close. He needed her blood to restore his strength before he faced the demon.
Catching Paul off guard, Caylee kicked him in the groin, hard. Roaring in pain, he went down on all fours. She ran, but he jumped to his feet and tackled her to the ground. She fought with every ounce of her strength. She clawed, scratched, hit, and kicked him. But it was all for nothing. He easily overpowered her, wrapping his hands around her throat, squeezing until she could no longer breathe.
Her thoughts racing, she thrashed wildly. She was dying. Seconds before she blacked out, she heard Haden’s voice. My strength is yours. My life is yours. You will not die—I forbid it. I am with you, Caylee. You have my breath. Feel it inside your body, sustaining your life. My heart beats for yours, steady and strong. Feel it and know you will not die.
Eternal Breath of Darkness Page 5